Why make swimsuits from recycled plastic?

I started Elsewhere because I wanted a good quality, affordable and more sustainable option in swimwear and I could not find it. You can read more about that in our story.

Swimsuits come in many fabrics. Nylon and polyester are the most common, as they are very practical. They are comfortable, last a long time and dry quickly.

To make traditional nylon and polyester fabrics, crude oil from the ground is used and you end up putting more plastic out in the world. A lot of it ends up being waste after a short time.

When we make fabrics from recycled plastics, we are taking plastic that is already here (mostly bottles, but a mix of pre and post consumer plastics) and giving it a new life as a beautiful swimsuit.

Are recycled fabrics of good quality?

They are of excellent quality, actually! Once you recycle the plastic, make the fibers and weave them into a fabric, you can’t tell the difference between a recycled fabric swimsuit and non-recycled one. They are just as comfortable, practical and quick-drying.

The big difference is in the environmental impact, of course. Unfortunately most of the plastic produced in the world is used for a short time and then it becomes waste. Lots of that waste ends up in the Ocean, affecting not only sea life, but all life on Earth.

Instead of making more plastic, we take products like plastic bottles and turn them into your next bikini. Unfortunately, we won’t run out of bottles to use as material any time soon, but at least they won’t end up as waste.

Will a recycled swimsuit last?

Yes, it will, and we hope you choose to use it for many seasons!

For this we have chosen very carefully who we partner with to make our collection.

Our fabric is made in Italy by one of the most innovative producers. The fabrics are tested to the highest standards and are constantly being improved. They are resistant to chlorine, sunscreen, tanning oil and salt water. They provide UV protection and a two-way stretch that adapts to your body but won’t stretch too much.

Printing and sewing is done within the EU under ethical and fair working conditions and using the most up-to-date techniques.

Lastly, we try to make our designs timeless by taking inspiration from Nature. We don’t follow the latest trends and instead try to make swimsuits that are comfortable, durable and look good on you for as long as possible. We believe in slow fashion.

We want you to buy less often and use our products for longer.

What else we can do to reduce our impact

Our manufacturing partners are very environmentally conscious and their process also uses less water, less energy and generates less atmospheric emissions than traditional fabric manufacture.

We try to expand this way of thinking across our business. Our packaging is made of recycled cardboard and paper (even the packing tape we use!) and we choose natural and sustainable materials any time possible.

We are looking at how we can give this fabric an extra life after its life as a swimsuit. Our vision is to reduce the amount of new plastic out there as much as possible.

Elsewhere is a new brand. We started with a small collection but we will have new models soon. We hope that when you need a new swimsuit you can find an option that is better for the environment, of high quality and affordable in our collection.

Please let us know what you think. We love to hear from you!

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